Google has reversed its decision to ban ads from addiction treatment centers after introducing a stricter vetting process.
Addiction treatment centers were banned from running Google ads last September — including search ads, website ads, and ads on third-party apps.
This decision was made due to an abundance of deceptive and misleading ads within that particular category.
Reuters reports that addiction treatment centers will again be able to run ads after being vetted by third-party firm LegitScript.
Google’s decision to suspend this ad category has led to a loss of at least $78 million worth of advertising in the U.S. alone, according research firm Kantar Media.
The new vetting process will begin on Monday and will apply to in-person facilities, crisis hotlines and support groups. Ads will begin running again in July.
Treatment centers will be evaluated on 15 criteria including criminal background checks and license and insurance verification. Third-party firm LegitScript will charge treatment centers $995 upfront, then $1,995 to be reevaluated annually.
These new standards for vetting ads from treatment centers are supported by the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers and the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse.
